Scottish Executive

Airports

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when Highland Council referred to it the application for closure of a stretch of the Mid-Coul road to Inverness Airport, following an objection being made; when it will make a decision in respect of the granting of a closure order, and whether it considers the instrument landing system to be important to the future development of Inverness Airport.

Nicol Stephen: The order was received by the Scottish Executive on 13 August 2003. A decision letter confirming the order was sent to Highland Council on 1 June 2004.

  The Executive regard the instrument landing system as important and helped to fund it. The system will improve safety and enhance the operational reliability of the airport.

Fertility Treatment

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what information is being provided to GPs to ensure that they are aware of available infertility services and understand the need to refer patients quickly to specialist clinics before age becomes a barrier to treatment.

Malcolm Chisholm: Copies of the report of the Expert Advisory Group on Infertility Services in Scotland, which provides a robust evidence base for the management and delivery of infertility services, was distributed to all health boards upon its publication in 2000. The distribution of the report within the boards was the responsibility of the boards. However, I would expect that all primary care trusts, now operating divisions, would have received copies at that time.

Health

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to introduce an ultrasound screening programme for risk families at risk and all 16-year-olds embarking on a sports career, as recommended by Scottish HART.

Malcolm Chisholm: In considering the introduction of population screening programmes, the Executive is advised by the National Screening Committee (NSC), an independent UK-wide expert body. The NSC’s Child Health Sub-Group has advised that, in the light of current evidence, pre-participation screening for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) in young people intending to engage in competitive sport should not be introduced outwith carefully-designed research projects. The committee will, however, keep this advice under review, and has offered to meet Scottish HART to explain the reasons for its recommendation. This does not prevent Scottish HART from providing its own screening programme.

  The Executive would encourage young people with a strong family history of HCM and who would wish to be tested to consult their GP, who can then refer them to a cardiologist for specialist advice.

  The Executive’s National Advisory Committee on Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) is also keeping in touch with current work on sudden cardiac death and screening which is being taken forward in England as part of the National Service Framework for CHD.

Health

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to develop patient access to complementary therapies and alternative treatments in the NHS.

Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to S2W-7650 on 5 May 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Health

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to compare the cost of prescribing conventional prescribed drugs with alternative and complementary therapies.

Malcolm Chisholm: Given the wide range of treatments available through both conventional prescribed drugs and alternative and complementary therapies, it would be very difficult to draw any meaningful conclusions about their relative costs as a whole.

  The National Research Register records details of all on-going and recent medical research funded by and of relevance to the NHS, including research into the efficacy of complementary medicine. This is available on a regularly updated CD-ROM in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 17404) and online at http://www.update-software.com/nrr/CLIBINET.EXE?A=1&U=1001&P=10001.

  The Chief Scientist Office (CSO) within the Scottish Executive Health Department has responsibility for encouraging and supporting research into health services and patient care within the NHS in Scotland. The CSO is largely a response mode funder and this role is well advertised throughout the health care and academic community. The CSO would be pleased to receive quality research applications on the efficacy of complementary medicine which would be subject to the usual peer and committee review. Details about applying to the CSO for a research grant are available on the internet at www.show.scot.nhs.uk/cso.

Health

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether homeopathic treatments are available on the NHS throughout Scotland.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive recognises the value of homeopathic treatment. We do not hold full information on NHS provision centrally, but Greater Glasgow, Highland and Lothian all provide homeopathic treatment through hospitals and clinics. Approximately 25% of GPs hold qualifications in homeopathy or have undergone some homeopathic training, and so have other medical professionals. Napier University has recently established a new BSc course in homeopathy for nurses, which will lead to further integration of homeopathic treatment within the NHS in Scotland. Referral for homeopathic treatment in any given case is, however, a matter for clinical judgement, in consultation with the patient.

Housing

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding is available from Communities Scotland for housing associations that have received council housing through stock transfer to assist with the provision of low-cost affordable housing.

Ms Margaret Curran: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

  Unless a previously agreed funding arrangement is in place, Registered Social Landlords who have received council housing through stock transfer can access Housing Association Grant which is the main mechanism used by Communities Scotland to fund the provision of low-cost affordable housing.

Maternity Services

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the plans for the reconfiguration of maternity services in Greater Glasgow will have on extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation services for neonates.

Malcolm Chisholm: Plans for the reconfiguration of maternity services in Glasgow include a proposal for the relocation of extra-corporeal life support services (ECLS) from the Queen Mother’s Maternity Hospital to the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital.

Maternity Services

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to monitor the number of hospital transfers of expectant mothers and the reasons for such transfers.

Malcolm Chisholm: NHS boards do, from time to time, need to consider transferring a patient should there be an unexpected demand on a particular service. Boards rely on clinical judgement in such cases and decisions are taken in the best interests of patients.

  The Information and Statistics Division of NHS Scotland records all reported instances of antenatal transfers.

  As part of the work of the National Maternity Services Workforce Planning Group, each maternity unit in Scotland will need to provide details of each antenatal transfer in 2003. This information will be used to inform, in line with the recommendations of the Expert Group on Acute Maternity Services, the development of a strategic approach to integrated workforce planning and service development and delivery for maternity services in NHS Scotland.

Prison Service

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-7832 by Cathy Jamieson on 14 May 2004, when it expects the performance points to be recorded and how they will be recorded.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  Performance points have now been recorded in relation to the one case where the prisoner was found guilty of the offence with which he was charged. The points have been allocated to the Performance Quarter when the event occurred i.e. to the third performance quarter of performance year 4.

Prisoner Escorts

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the wage rates paid to security staff employed by Reliance Secure Task Management Ltd are sufficient to ensure the safety of the public.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  Wage rates are a matter for the company.

Scottish Water

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to align the timescales of local authority development plans with that of Scottish Water’s Quality and Standards III process.

Ross Finnie: No. The next water investment programme, Quality and Standards III, will be based upon an eight-year timeframe, 2006 to 2014. This is being done to facilitate better business planning, secure compliance with longer term legislative requirements, and assist Scottish Water to plan and deliver the investment programme more efficiently. Local authority development plans, on the other hand, are based upon different timeframes which are driven by the broader requirements of the planning process and the particular circumstances of local areas. However, the investment requirements for Quality and Standards III are being informed by the development requirements identified by planning authorities.

Tourism

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any assistance is available for new tourism businesses to help with the costs of "brown signs".

Mr Frank McAveety: Assistance to new tourism businesses for help with the costs of "brown signs" is a matter for local authorities. In certain cases, local enterprise companies can also provide assistance as part of the start-up costs of a new business.

Tourism

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how assets belonging to area tourist boards will be redistributed after such boards cease to exist.

Mr Frank McAveety: I intend to lay before the Parliament this autumn Scottish Statutory Instruments that will address the transfer of assets.

  However, the project to develop the new network is exploring mechanisms to ensure that assets built up locally by area tourist boards can be in general retained for use in that area under the new network.

Tourism

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the timetable and locations will be for forthcoming Tourism Network Scotland meetings.

Mr Frank McAveety: My officials, along with officials from VisitScotland and senior staff from area tourist boards, are in the process of meeting all Scottish local authorities to explain the background to the new tourism network, to secure their support for our overall tourism ambition and its delivery locally, and to discuss any views which local authorities have about the plans. Meetings have taken place with 22 authorities. Those with the remaining 10 authorities, including Dumfries and Galloway, will take place during June, mostly in council offices.